Remember
by cassandragrace11
Summary: What happens when Carol falls down the stairs, hits her head, and loses her memories? And not just a week or so, but the past three years! What does the group have to do to get her to remember? More specifically, what does DARYL have to do? R&R please, criticism accepted! Disclaimer: I don't own TWD. :(
1. Chapter 1

*stumble* *flop* *drag drag* -walker continues chasing after a yummy-looking Rick- (He is pretty yummy-looking, if you know what I mean ;D)

:):):):):):):)

Hey there! So I was scrolling through some Caryl fics when I came across the story Lost In The Ashes (Mourn The Phoenix That Doesn't Rise) by The Readers Muse, and it inspired me to write this. So I can't take all the credit.

Prompt: What happens when Carol falls down the stairs, hits her head, and loses her memories? And not just a week or so, but the past three years! What does the group have to do to get her to remember? Read on to find out!

Disclaimer: I own **nothing** of The Walking Dead. *sob sob*

**WARNING!**

There will be some language in here.

Also- this takes place after Terminus, but before they find Beth at Grady. Sort of an in-between, I suppose. The group Carol and Daryl with now will only be Rick, Carl, Judith, Tyreese, Sasha, Michonne, Glenn, Maggie, and Hershel. So the group's obviously scattered.

Anyway, on to the story! Enjoy! :D

**Remember**

Chapter One: The Accident

Carol had joined Daryl, Rick, and Michonne on a run to local stores to look for matches, water, and medicine. Nothing too big. They took one car- the SUV- and set off at first light. It was meant to be quick and simple, in and out, like always. And although Carol didn't normally go on runs with others, Rick asked her to come, to be back up and help them out. After she accepted them into 'her group', everyone began actually respecting her. Of course, they had no idea what her and Tyreese had been through, and maybe they never would. She was honestly terrified they would leave her behind again if they found out she shot Lizzie. It haunted her at night, her own voice ringing in her ears, _look at the flowers..._

"You okay?"

Carol was snapped out of her daze by Daryl's gruff voice.

"What? Yeah."

He looked at her suspiciously as she turned her gaze back out the window.

"We're almost there."

Rick announced and Carol gulped. She's obviously gone on runs before with Rick and them, and could easily defend herself. But...it would never be the same after Karen and David. Did she regret it? No. She saved many lives, and accepted that no one else would ever see her point of view. It ate away at her heart, and sometimes she'd cry out of guilt secretly at night, but no, she didn't regret. It just had to be done.

"We're here."

Michonne said and Carol readied her knife, stepping out of the car with the others.

"Okay, Michonne and I will head down this line of stores,"

Rick said, pointing to one side of the street."

"Daryl, you go with Carol, and check out those."

He pointed at the other side of the street.

"Meet back here in about thirty minutes."

And with that, they parted ways.

"You see anything?"

Carol asked after they took out three walkers in a shop.

"Nah, nothin' useful. What 'bout you?"

"There's some gauze here. Needle and thread."

"Medical thread?"

He asked hopefully.

"No."

She replied.

"But if it's an emergency, it'll work as a replacement. If not, we could work on stitching up clothes and shoes."

It was silent for awhile until Daryl said,

"Got a pack of matches of here."

"How many?"

She asked as she walked over to him.

"'bout fifteen."

He shrugged.

"It's better than nothin'."

"Let's head to the place next door."

"Alright."

There was only one walker hiding in the back, near the cash register, growling softly. It was just a typical walker, except...it was a kid- a little girl. Carol choked down a sob. She was about Mika's age.

"You don't have to."

Daryl said as she took a step forward.

"No, I do. I never got...closure."

His eyebrows furrowed.

"For what?"

Taking a deep breath, she replied:

"For Mik-"

But she cut herself off.

"For one of the girls I was with. She just...it happened so suddenly, and I was so blind. I should've known."

And before Daryl could say anything, she rammed the knife into the girl's rotting skull, and she flopped to the floor. Carol sniffled and wiped at her tears.

"Come on, let's see what there is here."

He nodded, letting it go. For now, at least.

"We should be heading back."

Carol said after they'd raided three more stores.

"The sun's setting, it's probably been about half an hour."

Daryl nodded.

"Yeah, lets go."

And so they walked back in silence.

When they got back to the car, they found Rick and Michonne putting their full bags in the truck.

"It's gunna be dark soon."

Rick said as he spotted them.

"Find anything good?"

"Some gauze, thread, matches, expired cans of fruit. Not much but,"

Carol shrugged.

I"It's better than nothing."

"What about you guys?"

She asked as they got in the car and began driving back.

"We actually found some meds in a pharmacy, down a ways."

Michonne replied.

"Found clothes. Should fit some of us. Got a pair of boots for you, too."

She glanced down at her hole-filled shoes.

"I think you need them."

Carol swallowed with difficulty. Should she tell them that she didn't want those boots? That her holy shoes were the last link she had to her past life? To Ed and her family? That they were a birthday present from Sophia? No, they wouldn't understand. They just wouldn't.

"Thanks, Michonne."

Carol smiled instead, pushing the thought to the back of her mind. Maybe she could just put the shoes in the bottom of her bag when she wears the boots; there was no way in Hell she'd throw them away.

It was about fifteen minutes until they arrived back at the secluded cabin they were staying in, out in the woods, about a mile from the nearest road.

"Alright, we're back."

Rick announced.

"Thank God,"

Michonne muttered.

"I think I need some sleep."

Rick smiled.

"Maybe you could get in a full three hours?"

She laughed and they all brought their things in.

"I'm going to take some milk up to Judith."

Carol announced.

"Tyreese said she hasn't been feeling good."

She started up the steep stairs when she lost her balance and, before anyone could help her, tumbled down the wooden stairs, hitting her head hard on the old tile floor.

"Carol!"

Daryl was the first one to run to her, laying her head on his lap.

"She's bleeding!"

Rick ran to get Hershel and Glenn and Maggie rushed over to them, horrified to see Carol had a good amount of blood oozing out of her head and falling onto Daryl's hands.

"Set her on the couch, quickly."

Hershel arrived, crutching over to them as fast as he could..

"And by God, be gentle. We need a towel to stop the bleeding, quickly."

Maggie ran into the bathroom to look for one.

"Do we have any tea bags?"

"I think so."

Glenn said.

"Go get them and bring them to me. About one should do it."

Hershel turned to Daryl who had set her onto the couch, on her side.

"Daryl, we need to close the wound. What do we have?"

"Needle and thread- it's not medical, though."

"Do we have any candles?"

"I think so."

"Go get one and light it. The wax will help to seal the wound."

By the time Daryl ran off to get a candle, Maggie and Glenn returned.

"Let me see that cloth."

Maggie handed him a dish towel, and pressed it had against the spot on the back of her head.

"Okay, we need to cut her hair around the wound, or I won't be able to properly fix it. Do we scissors?"

"I have a knife."

Glenn said, the tea bags in his hands.

"That'll have to do."

Hershel replied and began cutting off the hair around the cut, leaving a small bald spot on her head.

"I found a candle."

Daryl said, then his eyebrows furrowed.

"You cut her hair?"

"Need to see the wound better, or I won't be able to help."

Daryl nodded.

"Don't matter as long as we can save her."

"Glenn, hand me those tea bags."

Hershel ripped them open, gently placing them over the slash.

"Daryl, I need the candle."

He handed it to him, and began dripping the wax over the tea bags.

"This'll close the wound for now, but we need to bind it. Daryl, I could use that thread right about now."

Daryl nodded and shuffled around Carol's bag until he found it, handing it to the vet.

"Before the wax hardens all the way, I need to sew this, in case it won't hold."

And so that's just what he did, everyone waiting anxiously, with Rick, Carl, Tyreese, Sasha, and Judith joining them in the living room.

"Will she be okay?"

Rick asked worriedly, biting at his nail.

"She should be. Might be out for a day or two, and most likely has a bad concussion."

"_How _bad?"

Daryl asked suspiciously. Hershel shrugged honestly.

"Might be weeks, might be months, might even be a year."

"A year?!"

Tyreese exclaimed.

"She took a nasty fall."

Hershel said patiently.

"A large, bruised wound like this typically take away at least fourteen months of memory. The worst case scenario,"

He took a deep breath.

"She won't remember this apocalypse at all. But that's highly unlikely. Just...prepare yourselves for the worst."

Everyone sat in shock.

"We need someone to stay here with her at all times, until she wakes up. And when she does, come get me _immediately. _Understood?'

They all muttered yes.

"I'll stay with her."

Daryl volunteered, and nobody objected because they knew how much she meant to him. Tyreese sat down next to him for a moment, a terrible question plaguing his mind.

"If she forgets all this...how will we tell her?"

"I dunno."

He shrugged helplessly.

"So much shit has happened to her. Ed's death, losing Sophia, being banished-"

"Losing the girls."

Tyreese said, tears in his eyes, and met Daryl's gaze.

"Maybe she doesn't need to know about that."

"No,"

Tyreese shook his head.

"She has to. It's too damn important. It taught her that- well, it's complicated."

Daryl thought for a moment.

"What happened? I know they ain't here now, but...I know there's more to it."

"There is."

Tyreese sighed.

"And it hurt her so much. It hurt us _both _so much. But...she has to know. She has to understand what happened. Those two little girls thought of her like a mother. She thought of them like daughters. _I _thought of them like daughters…"

"...what did it teach her?"

"That the dead aren't the only killers out there. That you can't trust people, no matter how much you want to. That if you see something's wrong, you have to fix it before it's too late. That if you can't fix it…"

He trailed off, getting lost in the memory of finding Lizzie, blood covering her hands, Mika laying dead behind her, and Judith only a few feet away.

"_Judith can change too. I was just about to-"_

"_She can't even walk yet."_

"_You're right."_

Tyreese shuddered.

"it was a bad time for her. And she won't forgive herself for not being there to protect- never mind. The point is, sometimes it doesn't matter how hard you try. You can't always protect the ones you love. She hates herself for it- I can see it in her eyes. But,"

He sighed deeply, blinking back tears.

"She needs to know. She does."

Tyreese was silent for a moment before saying goodbye and walking outside to get some fresh air, leaving Daryl alone with Carol.


	2. Chapter 2

Hope you enjoyed Chapter One! My sis said it was slow, so I hope you didn't think the beginning was boring. It was really just a sort of introduction. This chapter's pretty long, too, but it's gunna be interesting, so stay tuned! Anyway, on to the story!

Chapter Two: The Quarry

It was four days before Carol opened her eyes, and it was when it was Tyreese's shift to watch over her, the first two days being too much for Daryl.

"Huh?"

Carol's voice was cracked from lack of use, and Tyreese immediately called out:

"Hershel!"

Who quickly crutched over to the couch.

"Oh, my head."

She muttered painfully as Glenn and Maggie joined them in the living room, ecstatic.

"Go get Daryl."

Tyreese said to Sasha.

"He's out hunting. But I'll get Carl and Michonne."

And she hurried outside where they were working on a sort of fence they'd put up.

"Carol's awake!"

She said and the two instantly ran into the house, Sasha not far behind.

"Carol?"

Carl panted, leaning in front of her.

"Can you hear me?"

"Carl?"

She croaked out with wide eyes, looking around, seeing faces she didn't remember.

"Where am I?"

Tyreese's heart sunk. She had to remember the girls and Terminus. She just had to...

"Who are you people?"

She sat up, panicking, ignoring the extreme pain in her head.

"What do you remember?"

Glenn stepped forward.

"Where are we? Are we near the Quarry?"

Carl's eyes widened.

"Carol, what do you remember?"

Rick said, a little more demandingly than Glenn.

"Rick, you left with T-Dog and Glenn…"

She was finding it hard to breath.

"To get Merle."

"That's it?"

Carl asked, trying to stay calm.

"What happened? Where's Ed and Sophia? I told Lori not to leave her alone with him!"

"Carol, you need to sit still. Your head wound is still very sensitive. We can't have you ripping the stitches."

"Who are you?"  
>"I'm Hershel."<p>

"...where's Sophia?"

She repeated.

"She's-"

"Wait."

Sasha interrupted.

"Maybe we should let Daryl tell her."

"Daryl Dixon?"

She asked, confused.

"He's gunna be pretty upset about this."

Tyreese sighed.

"Listen carefully, Carol. You have a very bad concussion. It's been three years since the Quarry. You fell down the stairs and hit your head pretty damn hard."

Carol felt tears spring to her eyes.

"Thr-three years?"  
>"Please, stay calm."<p>

He said when tears started falling down her cheeks.

"You will get your memories back, but it'll take time."

"How much time?"

Carl asked. Hershel sighed.

"I'm not sure. With an injury like this, it could be a few weeks."

Everyone gasped sadly.

"But if we begin to tell her what's happened, in detail, she may recover faster. We just need to be careful about what we say. I think Daryl should tell her about- um, where Sophia is and what all happened at the Quarry, the CDC, and the herd we got caught in. Maggie, Glenn, tell her about the farm. Rick, I want you to tell her about the prison, everything that happened there, and her banis- I mean, when she left. I'll tell her about Beth and the others. Tyreese, tell her about Terminus. And we must go in order, or it'll be too confusing. And sometimes, memory comes back faster if there's some sort of action, something memorable from someone that has the strongest bond with the victim. Keep that in mind."

He said, confirming that they were thinking of the same person.

"Now, lets wait until Daryl comes back from his hunt. Lets get her some water. Do you need some medicine?"

Hershel asked, turning to Carol, who looked half terrified and half suspicious.

"That'd be nice. Thank you- uh, what was your name again?"

His heart broke in his chest, and Maggie knew how sad that question made her daddy. But he smiled nonetheless.

"I'm Hershel."

"Then, thank you Hershel."

He gave her an attempted smile, then herded everyone out of the room besides Carl, Glenn, and Rick to give her some space. It was best to leave her with people she remembered, too.

It was about fifteen minutes before Daryl came back from his hunt. He had a string of squirrel slung over his shoulder and a melancholy look on his tired face.

"Daryl."

Carl said as he nearly missed Carol sitting up on the couch.

"Oh my God!"

He grinned and rushed over to her, but Rick said:

"Wait. There's something you should know."

His face fell.

"She has a concussion. It's...pretty bad."

"A few months?"

They all exchanged glances. Then Glenn said,

"Daryl, all she remembers when you, me, Rick, and T-Dog went to get Merle from the roof...all she remembers is the Quarry."

"Before it was attacked?"

He asked gruffly, fighting back tears.

"The Quarry was attacked?"

Carol said suddenly, panic obvious in her voice.

"Oh God,"

Daryl hid his face in his heads, muffling a sob. When he put his hands down, tears stained his face, and Rick couldn't help but tear up, too.

"Anything else?"

He pleaded. Glenn shook his head.

"Does she remember me?"

"Yes."

He turned to Carol.

"You're Daryl Dixon, right?"

Glenn could practically hear his heart break.

"I'm _so _sorry Daryl. Hershel says she'll get her memories back, but...it'll take a few weeks. We want you to tell her what happened at the Quarry, the CDC, the herd. About Ed and Sophia. Then we'll take it from there."

He nodded, suddenly finding it hard to breathe.

"Do you want us to leave you two alone to talk?"

Carol's eyes widened, which Daryl caught out of the corner of his eye.

"No. Glenn, can you stay? You'll be able to remember it best."

Glenn smiled sadly.

"Trust me, I remember more than I'd like."

Rick and Carl left the room at that, and Daryl took a deep breath.

"Merle wasn't there."

He said suddenly.

"W-what?"

"When we went back for him, he wasn't there. His hand was though."

She gasped quietly, with wide eyes.

"He was just...gone. Later that day, we walked back to the Quarry. And the walkers were attacking. They got Amy and Jim and just a bunch of people...and one of those people was your husband."

"Ed got bit?"

She asked, an unreadable glint of emotion in her eyes.

"Eaten, actually."

Glenn said.

"...and Sophia?"

"Sophia lived through that attack. You kept her safe."

"...what happened after?"

Daryl sighed.

"Rick wanted to go to the CDC."

"What?"

"The Center of Disease Control."

Glenn explained.

"And a man let us in- Dr. Edwin Jenner."

Daryl found himself chuckling at the memory.

"What?"

"Don't you remember when we got drunk? Your hangover?"

Glenn groaned at the extreme pain and nausea he'd had.

"That was terrible. Thank God you'd never let me drink again."

Carol looked between the two, confused. Daryl cleared his throat awkwardly.

"The place was nice- had running hot water, food, beds- it was like a dream. And I think we all sort of took advantage of it. I sure as Hell did."

He sighed.

"There was this clock, counting down. We didn't pay much mind to it until it was at the half hour mark. Then all the generators starting shutting down. The doors closed automatically. We found out that once the clock hit zero the place would explode- we'd all die there."

"Did Sophia die there?"

Carol managed to choke out.

"No. But Jacqui did."

Her breath hitched and she felt tears in her eyes.

"The rest of us lived. After the CDC, we were on the road again. Shane wanted to go to Fort Benning. So that's where we headed. But...the RV broke down and there were cars blocking the road, no was to get around it. So Dale and Glenn worked on it for awhile. We were doing okay, but there was this...herd coming through. We all hid under the cars, stayed quiet. And Sophia was in the car across from you and Lori. She thought all the walkers were gone, and got out from under the car. But..."

Daryl drifted off and he choked back a sob, the memory of that little girl walking out of the Greene's barn embedded unwilling in his brain.

"...did they eat her?"

Tears threatened to spill out of her eyes. Daryl took a deep breath.

"No. But two saw her and she ran, into the woods. Rick went after her, led the walkers away. Told her to hide and then run back to the road when she had the chance. But...something happened. I followed her tracks, and they just...stopped. We searched for days and…"

He look to Glenn for help, who nodded.

"When we found her, she had a bite on her shoulder, was already one of them. I'm so sorry..."

Carol began to sob, a hand clasped over her mouth.

"And Daryl tried like Hell to find her. Nearly died finding her doll on day three. And Shane...he wanted to give up the search. It seemed everyone was about ready to. But he kept looking."

Glenn turned to see sadness in the other man's eyes.

"But it was just too late. We did everything we could to help her, but in the end..."

"She was a brave kid."

Daryl muttered.

"But you stayed strong, and I admire you for that. We've all lost someone...but none of us have lost a child. To be honest,"

He chuckled sadly.

"You're the strongest of us all."

Carol closed her eyes for a moment, a flashback stirring in her head.

"_Lori, there's two walkers after my baby!"_

"_It's okay, shhh."_

_She sobbed hard and everyone gathered to where the woods began, Daryl and Shane grabbing their weapons to go help Rick._

"_Honey I can't imagine what you're going through, but you have __**got to stop **__blaming Rick."_

_Lori said._

"_I see it __**every time **__you look at him…"_

"I remember something."

Carol said suddenly, as she opened her eyes.

"I remember talking to Lori about Sophia in a road. Then...Lori told me to stop blaming Rick for what happened. We were in the woods somewhere."

She trailed off.

"That's good, we're making progress. Bits and pieces but hey,"

Glenn shrugged.

"It's better than nothing. Do you remember anything from the Quarry attack or the CDC?"

She thought for a moment and simply said:

"I remember crying. That's it."

"Why's she only remembering the bad things?"

Daryl muttered to Glenn.

"Hershel's told me before sometimes the bad things come first, and faster than the good things. Within the next few days, she could remember everything between the Quarry and the CDC."

"In order?"

"I'm not sure. All I know is Hershel said for us to tell her everything in order. And that there could be something to trigger a whole group of her memories back, maybe even all of them."

His face lit up with hope.

"How?"

"He said some sort of memorable action from whoever she has the strongest bond with."

Daryl's eyes widened.

"What about Tyreese?"

He said quickly, knowing what he was asking him to do.

"She knew you first. She _remembers _you from the Quarry."

"The Quarry? That ain't me anymore. I was a jerk there."

"Look, you understand her best, and don't you try to deny it; we all know it's true. Even Tyreese."

Carol spoke suddenly:

"What are you talking about? I never speak to Daryl."

"You never _spoke _to Daryl."

He corrected.

"You don't remember how close you are now."

"Close?"

She eyes Daryl distastefully.

"Like you wouldn't believe."

Daryl muttered a curse under his breath.

"I ain't gunna do it."

"Then say it."

"Say what?"

"What we all know you've said to her before. Something memorable."

"...I've never said it."

Daryl admitted quietly and he watched Glenn look at him angrily.

"WHAT?! Why?!"

"'Cause I don't know how. Besides, stupid words ain't gunna do it either."

"...you've had to have kissed her. Right?"

"What? Kissed me?!"

"I haven't."

Glenn groaned.

"_Please _tell me you're joking."

"I ain't."

"Well, Tyreese, Carl, Rick, and Sasha owe me cans of fruit then."

"You made bets?!"

Daryl exclaimed angrily.

"On if I'd kissed her or not?!"

Glenn nodded simply.

"And who else has done this?"

He practically growled.

"Hmm...everyone besides Judith."

His eyes widened in horror.

"Who's Judith?"

Carol cut in.

"Hey, Carl, bring down Judy!"

Glenn called, and Carl appeared from the kitchen, a drink in one hand, and Judith in the other.

"You have a baby?"

She smiled in disbelief.

"Who's is it?"

"My mom and dad's."

Carl replied.

"Oh, I'd love to see Lori. Where is she?"

"...she died during childbirth."

Glenn said softly, and Carol once again felt tears sting her eyes.

"Oh my God."

"We got a lot of that reaction."

Carl said numbly.

"...You know Carol, Hershel planned out all of us to fill you in on everything, one at a time, but...if you let Daryl kiss you, you might just get it all back now."

Daryl blushed extremely and Carl said slyly,

"I'm gunna help my dad outside."

And he slipped out the door, a knowing smile on his face.

"Why him?"

Carol asked after a moment. Glenn replied,

"Because he's your best friend and you love him."

She thought for a minute before saying,

"Alright. I'll do it."


	3. Chapter 3

So this chapter's really short and I apologize for that. I hope it doesn't seemed rushed to you, I just sort of went with the flow, and wrote down what I thought would be good. Anyway, enjoy! :D

Chapter Three: Everything You've Been Through Together

"Do it like you mean it,"

Glenn warned as Daryl leaned uncomfortably towards her. Glenn had herded him onto the couch next to Carol, sitting in a very intimate proximity.

"She don't remember me,"

Daryl muttered.

"It's like kissin' a stranger."

"But she's _not_ a stranger."

Glenn urged.

"Please. She needs her memory back, and you know it. You _want _her to have her memory back."

"We all do."

He grumbled. Glenn sighed.

"Daryl, you know what I mean, And who knows,"

He shrugged.

"Maybe this could be the next step for you two. So just think of everything you've been through together- all the times you've saved her, and all the times she's saved you. Think of the laughs, the tears, the stories you've shared; think of why you love her. Then you'll be able to kiss her- _for real._"

Daryl nodded and closed his eyes, thinking.

"_It's a Cherokee rose...I'm not fool enough to think there's any roses bloomin' for my brother. But I believed this one bloomed for your little girl."_

"_There's something you should know. You did more for my little girl today than her own daddy did in his whole life...you're every bit as good as them. __**Every bit**_**."**

"_Pretty romantic...wanna screw around?"_

"_Pfft. I'll go down first."_

"_Even better!"_

"_Stop."_

"_This place is a tomb."_

"_T-Dog used to call it that, and I believed it. Until you found me."_

"_I never got the chance to tell you...I'm glad you came back."_

"_Stay safe."_

"_Nine lives, remember?"_

Taking a deep breath, Daryl opened his eyes, replaying those memories over and over in his brain as he leaned towards her lips. Her breath hitched in her throat, but she let it happen; she needed to remember.

Her lips were soft and gentle as they slid against his and he thought of all the times he'd wanted to kiss her, tell her he loved her, get away from everyone so they could just be alone...he thought of all the times he'd think he couldn't fall any deeper in love with her, when she'd go and prove him wrong.

Carol gasped pulling away. Her eyes wide with shock, she muttered,

"I remember."


	4. Chapter 4

So this is the last chapter of Remember! It's not as short of the last one, which is good. ;) Also, there's an A/N at the end. Anyway, enjoy!

Chapter Four: My Only Sunshine

"You remember everything?"

Glenn asked in hope. Carol nodded, tears in her eyes, and pulled Daryl into a slightly awkward hug.

"Thank you."

She whispered tearfully.

"I'll go get the others. They'll be glad to know you're okay."

Glenn then raced off to find the rest of the group, leaving Carol and Daryl alone. She pulled away.

"He did that on purpose, you know."

"Yeah, I know."

Daryl mumbled. Carol grinned, causing him to blush. She shrugged.

"Sorry Pookie."

"You ever gunna stop callin' me that?"

"Nope."

She replied and Daryl couldn't help but smile.

"...hey, 'bout the kiss-"

"Daryl, it's okay."

She laughed lightly.

"You gave me my memory back, and I'll never forget that."

"...so...you were okay with it?"

Now it was her turn to blush. But nevertheless, she said,

"I'm more than okay with it. And…"

She paused, taking a deep breath.

"Daryl...I love you."

Her eyes were cast downward, but he lifted her chin up so she would meet his gaze. He kissed her again softly, and she smiled against his lips.

"I don't know if I can say it."

He muttered apologetically when he pulled away.

"I ain't said it in so long and...whenever I do, I just end up getting hurt, and I-"

"Daryl."

She interrupted softly.

"You don't have to say it. I know you do and for me, that's all that matters."

"Thank you."

He whispered, a tear slipping down his cheek. She wiped it away with her thumb.

"Carol?"

They pulled away from each other just in time so everyone that walked in didn't see.

"Hi, Rick."

SHe greeted with watery eyes and he pulled her into a tight hug.

"It's good to have you back."

He said as he pulled away from her. In the end, everyone hugged her with the exception of Daryl, and she even got to hold Judith.

"I don't know how I could forget you Little Ass-kicker."

She cooed and Daryl smiled. It was just her, the archer, and Carl in the room now, everyone having gone their separate ways. She began humming automatically and Carl chuckled.

"My mom used to sing that to me."

"My Only Sunshine?"

"Yeah."

Carol hesitated, searching his eyes for permission.

"Go ahead."

He said.

"You're so good with her, you may as well be her second mother."

She seemed to contemplate this before singing softly,

"You are my sunshine, my only sunshine. You make me happy when skies are gray. You'll never know dear how much I love you. So please don't take my sunshine away."

When she finished she looked up to see a tear slip down Carl's cheek. But before she could apologize he stopped her, saying,

"I'm not sad. I'm happy. My mom never got to sing it to her. I did once, but...I think I better stick to the role of the big brother."

She laughed softly.

"You've always been there for her, and I'll always appreciate that. If she cries or fusses, and doesn't need to be changed or fed, try singing that to her. It always helped me sleep."

Carol smiled and held out Judith for the young boy.

"Thank you."

"Goodnight."

He said and headed to the room he was staying in.

"Goodnight."

She replied as he walked away, and soon disappeared in the hall.

"...You have a pretty voice."

Daryl muttered gruffly, failing at hiding the blush in his cheeks. He wasn't used to giving compliments like that to, well, anyone. _Especially _someone he loved.

"Thanks...we should get to bed. I know I was supposed to go upstairs, but that's not happening."

"You can stay with me down here."

Daryl blurted out, not realized he'd said it until it was too late. His whole face burned with embarrassment.

"I-I mean- we- well- oh shit."

He sighed, but Carol only laughed softly.

"I'd love to."

She said. Daryl smiled.

I hope you enjoyed that! I know I sure enjoyed writing it. Also- I'm no doctor, I know a simple act like a kiss probably couldn't bring back all of someone's memories. And I just got the tea bags and candle wax from TWD comics, where Eugene helps heal Glenn's shot wound. I decided to put that in here because it has to be true enough to publish it in a very popular series. (Besides, it was Eugene that did it, so it obviously is true! u Seriously though. He's a total badass in the comics.) Anyway, I know I haven't updated Jealousy in a while, and I promise I'm working on it. I just had to get this down before I exploded. If you haven't read Jealousy, I'd love if you'd check it out, along with my new fic, The Little Angel Girl.

Happy New Years and see you next time!

3, Cassie Grace


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